Leather encased flask

ABSTRACT

A flask having good heat insulating characteristics includes a generally kidney-shaped vessel, commonly referred to as a bota, a cap assembly having a base cap with a relatively narrow passage therethrough and an auxiliary cap for selectively closing the narrow passage in the base cap whereby liquid in the vessel can be discharged through an opening in the vessel or through the relatively narrow passage in the base cap. A removable outer skin or casing of a flexible material fits tightly around the vessel and has a slotted neck portion covered by a flexible tongue through which the vessel can be removed from or inserted into the casing. The outer casing is secured to the vessel by a lace which is threaded across the tongue and releasably secures the vessel in the casing. An adjustable carrying strap is affixed to the casing to facilitate carrying the flask.

United States Patent Hagen-t et al.

[ Aug. 20, 1974 1 LEATHER ENCASED FLASK [75] Inventors: Robert D.Hagert; James L.

Sanderson, both of Boulder, C010.

[52] US. Cl 150/52 E, D9/60 [51] Int. Cl B6501 65/04 [58] Field ofSearch 150/52 R, 52 E; 215/12,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,032,086 7/1912 Sayer150/52 E 1,541,658 6/1925 Polik 150/52 R 1,897,438 2/1933 Mykol 150/53 R2,376,064 5/1945 Knapp 215/13 R 2,670,776 3/1954 Benner 150/52 R2,884,151 4/1959 Biederman 215/73 2,923,450 2/1960 Darkenwald 150/52 RFOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 149,598 8/1920 Great Britain 215/12 R157,290 10/1939 Germany 215/12 13 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Gifts andDecorative Accessories March, 1966; page 49, Bota.

publication,

Primary Examiner-Herbert F. Ross [57] ABSTRACT A flask having good heatinsulating characteristics includes a generally kidney-shaped vessel,commonly referred to as a bota, a cap assembly having a base cap with arelatively narrow passage therethrough and an auxiliary cap forselectively closing the narrow passage in the base cap whereby liquid inthe vessel can be discharged through an opening in the vessel or throughthe relatively narrow passage in the'base cap. A removable outer skin orcasing of a flexible material fits tightly around the vessel and has aslotted neck portion covered by a flexible tongue through which thevessel can be removed from or inserted into the casing. The outer casingis secured to the vessel by a lace which is threaded across the tongueand releasably secures the vessel in the casing. An adjustable carryingstrap is affixed to the casing to facilitate carrying the flask.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates generally to portable liquid containers and moreparticularly to a new and improved flask type container having an innervessel of an insulating material and a flexible skin tight insulatingcasing.

For years there has been a demand for portable liquid containers thatcan be hand carried for use in connection with various outdooractivities. However, it has proved difficult to devise a container thatis entirely satisfactory insofar as having heat insulating qualities tomaintain the temperature of the liquid inside and at the same time beinglight, convenient to carry-and aesthetically pleasing. Probably the mostconventional commercially available portable container that providesgood heat insulating qualities for temperature maintenance is thethermos or vacuum bottle. The typical thermos, however, is normallyrelatively heavy, awkward to carry and fragile. Other portable liquidcontaining devices, such as the so-called wine skins, are convenient tocarry but lack adequate temperature maintenance qualities desirable foruse in connection with outdoor activities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been designed tosatisfactorily maintain the temperature of liquids, such as wine, withinthe container, to be easy and convenient to carry, and to beaesthetically pleasing in appearance.

As will be further appreciated from the detailed descriptionhereinafter, the container or flask is particularly well suited forcarrying liquids during numerous outdoor activities such as skiing,boating, picnicking, spectator sports, and the like.

The container includes a light, preferably' molded plastic kidney-shapedvessel having an opening which is selectively closed or opened with acap assembly that includes a base cap with a reduced diameter passagetherethrough and an auxiliary cap removably attached to the base cap forclosing the reduced diameter passage. In this manner the liquid in thevessel can be removed in either one of two flow patterns by pouringthrough the opening in the vessel or squirting in a confined mannerthrough the relatively narrow passage in the base cap. A flexible outerskin tight casing of a leather-like material tightly surrounds thevessel and has an elongated closure portion that can be selectivelyopened or closed so that the vessel can be removed from or inserted intothe casing. In the preferred form, the closure portion is an elongatedslotted opening with a tongue secured to the casing adjacent one end ofthe slotted opening so as to bridge the opening. A lace is used forconnecting the casing across the slotted opening in a releasable manner.The casing is also provided with a carrying strap which is adjustableand may be used to pass over the shoulder of the user. Additionally, anattachment strap connects the auxiliary cap to the outer casing so thateither the auxiliary cap or the base cap can be opened and will remainsecured to the casmg.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a flaskhaving an inner insulating vessel and a flexible skin-tight outerinsulating casing with a slotted opening through which the vessel can beinserted into or removed from the casing and including lace means forclosing the slotted opening to secure the vessel within the casing.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a portableliquid container made of an insulating material and having a capassembly including a base cap with a reduced diameter passage wherebyliquid can be dispensed from the container in either one of two flowpatterns.

RIEFPE PB O TH AWING-.-

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference first to FIGS. 1and 2, the flask or portable liquid container 10 of the presentinvention is seen to include a vessel or inner container 12, a closurecap assembly 14 for the vessel and an outer skin or casing 16surrounding the vessel.

The vessel 12 is substantially kidney-shaped having a main body 18 and arelatively narrow neck 20. The main body 18, when viewed from the sideas in FIG. 1, is somewhat oval shaped with the neck 20 extendingsubstantially tangentially upwardly from the rear 18a of the main body.The rear 20a of the neck extends straight downwardly to the rear 18a ofthe main body, but the front 20b of the neck diverges downwardly forminga concave intermediate portion 12a of the vessel which is continuousthrough a reversing curve into a rounded convex bottom 12b of the vesselthat is continuous with the straight rear 20a of the neck 20. As bestseen in FIG. 2, the side faces of the vessel are slightly bulged so asto be fullest in the main body 18 of the vessel and taper inwardly andupwardly to the uppermost end 21 of the neck which is substantiallycylindrical. The side faces 120 of the vessel establish broad arcuatesurfaces that are continuous around a relatively narrow arcuateperiphery 19 of the vessel. This configuration of the vessel allows thecontainer 10 to lie confortably at ones side when carried as will bepointed out later.

The vessel 12 is hollow and opens through a circular opening 22 in theuppermost end 21 of the neck 20 allowing the free flow of liquidtherethrough. The vessel is preferably made of a material havinginsulating properties whereby the temperature of the liquid within thevessel will be maintained for a reasonable period of time. For example,the vessel may be composed of identical opposing blow-moldedhalf-segments of a light plastic material heat sealed along a peripheralseam. The plastic material should be somewhat rigid so that the vesselwill normally maintain its configuration, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, butcan be temporarily deformed or squeezed, such as, by applying manualpressure against the side faces, and when released will immediatelyreturn to its normal configuration.

As seen in FIG. 3, the uppermost end 21 of the neck 20 of the vessel 12has a reduced diameter cylindrical extension 24 which has externalthreads 26 for releasably securing the cap assembly 14 to the vessel.The cap assembly 14 can be seen to include a generally cup shaped basecap portion 28 opening downwardly and having internal threads adapted tomate with the external threads 26 on the extension 24 of the vessel. Thebase cap portion 28 of the cap assembly has a raised centrally locatedexternally threaded head portion 30 with a narrow axial passage 32therethrough. A circular sealing washer 31 of cork or other suitablematerial is seated in the base cap to effect a fluid-tight seal betweenthe base cap and the vessel. An auxiliary cap 34, similar inconfiguration to the base cap 28 has internal threads 36 adapted to matewith the external threads on the head portion 30 so that the narrowpassage 32 is closed when the auxiliary cap 34 is screwed onto theexternally threaded head portion. The auxiliary cap has an upwardlyextending rib 38 with a horizontal opening 40 therethrough, thehorizontal opening being provided for attachment of an attachment strapor thong 42 to the auxiliary cap as shown in FIG. 1 for a purpose to beexplained later.

It can, therefore, be appreciated that when the cap assembly 14 isremoved from the vessel 12, liquid within the vessel can be pouredthrough the opening 22 in the neck but when the cap assembly, includingthe auxiliary cap 34, is screwed'onto the neck, liquid within thecontainer is prevented from escaping. If, however, it is desired toobtain a confined relatively high velocity flow of liquid from thevessel, the vessel can be inverted whereby the neck points downwardlyand the auxiliary cap 34 removed so that the liquid within the vesselwill flow through the narrow passage 32 in the base closure cap 28 bygravity, or can be forced therethrough by squeezing and therebydepressing the side faces of the vessel. As previously mentioned, thebody 18 of the vessel will return to its normal configuration when thepressure thereon is released.

Looking more particularly now at the outer casing 16, it can be seen tocomprise a tight form-fitting skin or covering for the vessel 12.Preferably, the casing 16 is composed of a flexible leather-likematerial so as to readily conform to the configuration of the vessel andprovide an insulating cover for the vessel. The casing 16 is shaped inconformity with the configuration of the vessel 12. It has an open top44 and a closure portion extending across the concave intermediateportion 12a of the vessel. In the preferred form, the closure portioncomprises a rectangular slotted opening 46 extending along the front 20bof the neck 20 of the vessel and continuing over the intermediateportion 12a of the vessel. The slotted opening 46 is defined by spacedsubstantially parallel side edges 48 and a bottom edge 50 that crossesthe relatively narrow arcuate periphery 19 of the vessel near theforwardmost extent of the vessel so that the distance from the locationat which the edge 50 crosses the periphery to the rear 18a of the mainbody of the vessel is at least as great as the maximum width dimensionof the vessel so that the vessel can be removed from or inserted intothe casing through the slotted opening. The slotted opening opensthrough the open top of the casing which is sized to recieve the neck 20of the vessel.

In the disclosed form, the outer casing 16 is comprised of two identicalhalf-segments 52 that are connected by a seam strip 54 which passesalong the relatively narrow arcuate periphery of the vessel 12. The seamstrip 54 is also composed of a flexible leather-like material that issomewhat heavier than the material from which the half-segments are madegiving added strength along the narrow periphery 19 of the vessel. Atongue is affixed to the underside of the outer casing 16 along thebottom edge 50 of the slotted opening 46 and extends upwardly along theintermediate portion 12b and the front 20b of the neck to the open top44 of the casing so as to bridge the opening between the spaced paralleledges 48. Spaced eyelets 58 are affixed in each half segment 52 of thecasing adjacent to and along the side edges 48 so that a lace member 20can be threaded through the eyelets 28 and releasably connected tosecure the vessel 12 within the casing.

Strap loops 62 are affixed to the seam 54 at peripherally spacedintervals so as to lie transversely to the narrow periphery of thevessel and are adapted to retain a carrying strap 64 which is passedbeneath the strap loops 62 and thereby passes around the narrowperiphery 19 of the vessel. The carrying strap has an adjustable buckel66 whereby the effective length of the strap 64 can be selectivelyadjusted as desired. For example, the strap can be lengthened to providea large loop that can pass over the head and shoulders of a user wherebythe container will be suspended along the users side or the strap may beshortened to thereby serve as a handle so that it can be carried in thehand of the user.

As a precautionary measure and to prevent loss of the cap assembly 14,the attachment strap or thong 42 is secured to the uppermost strap loop42, adjacent the upper rear portion of the outer casing 16, and ispassed through the horizontal passage 40 in the rib 38 on the auxiliarycap 34 and knotted so that the auxiliary cap, and the base cap 28 whenconnected to the auxiliary cap, are secured to the outer casing 16. Inthis manner, when the auxiliary cap 34 is removed from the base cap, itwill simply dangle from the outer casing, or when the base cap 28 isremoved from the vessel with the auxiliary cap connected thereto, itwill similarly dangle from the casing until it is again screwed onto thevessel.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that a flask or portable liquidcontainer has been described which is light, easy to manage, hasinsulating properties to maintain the temperature of the liquid retainedtherein and is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It should be notedthat due to the generally flattened configuration of the container, itis easily carried and will hang flat against the side of a user when thecarrying strap is passed over the users shoulder and the casing includesa selectively operable closure portion to allow insertion or removal ofthe vessel into or out of the casing.

Although the present invention has been described with a certain degreeof particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade by way of example and that changes in details of structure may bemade without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In an insulated portable container for carrying liquids in which asubstantially kidney-shaped vessel includes a main annulus of generallyoval-shaped configuration and a neck tapering away from one end of theannulus, said neck having a concavo-convex surface portion forming acontinuation of one peripheral surface portion of the annulus and atangentially extending surface portion defining a continuation of theopposite peripheral surface portion of the annulus, the said neckterminating in an open end, and a cap releasably connected to the openend of the neck, the improvement comprising:

a removable outer flexible, but non-elastic casing form-fitting the saidvessel, said casing comprising an elongated slot along the saidconcavo-convex surface portion of the neck and extending from near theopen end of the neck to near the point of maximum width or apex of thevessel through which the vessel can be releasably inserted into thecasing;

a tongue flexibly connected to the said casing at the end of theelongated slot near the said apex and extending to the neck end of thesaid slot, said tongue being slightly wider than said slot such that thetongue can selectively bridge the slotted opening;

ing near the said apex and just below the end of the said elongated slotand secured at the other end to the midpoint of the tangential sectionof the said neck of the casing, said carrying strap being adapted topass over the shoulder of a user.

2. In an insulated portable container according to claim 1 wherein saidcasing is leather and comprises two identical half-segments on oppositesides of the vessel connected by a seam strip.

3. In an insulated portable container according to claim 1 wherein saidvessel is composed of an insulating molded plastic material.

4. In the insulated portable container of claim 1 wherein saidreleasable cap comprises:

a base cap with a passage therethrough of reduced diameter relative tothe said opening in the neck with one end being releasably threaded tothe terminal end of the neck and the other end having a threadedconnector member;

an auxiliary cap with one end releasably threaded to the said connectormember and the other end affixed to an attachment strap; and

an attachment strap connecting the auxiliary cap to the said casing.

1. In an insulated portable container for carrying liquids in which asubstantially kidney-shaped vessel includes a main annulus of generallyoval-shaped configuration and a neck tapering away from one end of theannulus, said neck having a concavo-convex surface portion forming acontinuation of one peripheral surface portion of the annulus and atangentially extending surface portion defining a continuation of theopposite peripheral surface portion of the annulus, the said neckterminating in an open end, and a cap releasably connected to the openend of the neck, the improvement comprising: a removable outer flexible,but non-elastic casing form-fitting the said vessel, said casingcomprising an elongated slot along the said concavo-convex surfaceportion of the neck and extending from near the open end of the neck tonear the point of maximum width or apex of the vessel through which thevessel can be releasably inserted into the casing; a tongue flexiblyconnected to the said casing at the end of the elongated slot near thesaid apex and extending to the neck end of the said slot, said tonguebEing slightly wider than said slot such that the tongue can selectivelybridge the slotted opening; a plurality of spaced eyelets on each sideof the said elongated slot; lacing means interconnecting the saideyelets whereby the ends of the lacing means can be releasably securedto positively interconnect the opposite edges of the casing on bothsides of the elongated slot such that the said tongue is firmly seatedbetween the vessel and the lacing means; and a carrying strap secured atone end to the outer casing near the said apex and just below the end ofthe said elongated slot and secured at the other end to the midpoint ofthe tangential section of the said neck of the casing, said carryingstrap being adapted to pass over the shoulder of a user.
 2. In aninsulated portable container according to claim 1 wherein said casing isleather and comprises two identical half-segments on opposite sides ofthe vessel connected by a seam strip.
 3. In an insulated portablecontainer according to claim 1 wherein said vessel is composed of aninsulating molded plastic material.
 4. In the insulated portablecontainer of claim 1 wherein said releasable cap comprises: a base capwith a passage therethrough of reduced diameter relative to the saidopening in the neck with one end being releasably threaded to theterminal end of the neck and the other end having a threaded connectormember; an auxiliary cap with one end releasably threaded to the saidconnector member and the other end affixed to an attachment strap; andan attachment strap connecting the auxiliary cap to the said casing.